[Diagnostic analysis of biogenic amines in tumors]

The modifield Falck's fluorescence-microscope method was used to investigate the content of biogenic amines in 218 bioptic specimens taken from patients suffering from tumours and other pathological conditions. It was established that malignanat tumours were characterized by accumulation in the tissue of the tumour and particularly in the reactive zone, of considerable amounts of substances with green luminescence (histamine, catecholamines, and probably, di- and polyamines) and by the disappearance of serotonin from the connective-tissue cells. In benign tumours, as well as in focal processes of non-tumour character (chronic gastric ulcer, mastitis, pulmonary tuberculosis) in the reactive zone there were always an increased number of connective-tissue cells containing serotonin. An opinion was put forward to the effect that one can judge about a degree of lesion of the connective tissue and the nature of the course of a pathological process from the character of biogenic amine contained in the elements of the connective tissue in the reactive zone. Identification of biogenic amines in the tissue of the reactive zone may serve as an additional test in carrying out differential diagnosis and will be of use in differentiating malignant tumours from benign processes and other focla pathology of non-tumour nature.